


Cold

by ChaoticNeutral



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: Anti-Imprinting, F/M, Twilight Spitefic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-29
Updated: 2017-06-29
Packaged: 2018-11-17 05:48:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11269194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaoticNeutral/pseuds/ChaoticNeutral
Summary: "I made the choice to help you. Because when everything is said and done, I don't stab the people close to me in the back for my own selfish gain.”Leah took a breath.“I'm not you."





	Cold

**Author's Note:**

> Admittedly not one of my favorite works from the old site, but I kept it and couldn't just not post it. And something about it resonates with me still.

* * *

  **COLD**

* * *

 

There was the sound of heavy, pained breathing when Emily returned to consciousness. Her eyes slid open, and she gasped, remembering.

Someone had broken in while she was there alone. She tried to fight, but—oh god...she was so weak. She had been able to rely on Sam to protect her, but he had a meeting with the elders and so she was left alone. She hadn't thought anything would happen. But then there was a crash and before she realized it, she was being held down by a pale man with a horrible smirk—a vampire? Perhaps with the Volturi? She didn't know. She had dutifully remained behind at home, waiting for Sam to come back, and never saw any of them for herself.

But there one was, and he slammed her head against the floor, causing her to see stars. She didn't know what happened next, but here she was now...alive. Was he still there? Emily forced herself to her knees and glanced around warily. Things looked like more of a mess than she recalled before blacking out, but she couldn't see anyone...

Except there was that breathing...

It was dark. She couldn't see. What had happened? Where was her attacker? Why did it look as though a fight had occurred...did Sam come?

She was hopeful, but confused. If it were Sam, he would have been there next to her when she awoke. No, there was someone else. And that was when she noticed the shadowed figure leaning against a wall.

"Who...?" She whispered aloud, voice hoarse and throat aching. The figure paused for a moment, the harsh breathing stopped. Then, slowly, moving as though injured, the figure reached for a toppled over lamp that hadn't been crushed in the warzone, rightened it, then flicked it on.

Emily froze. Standing before her was Leah. A very annoyed, very tired Leah, who looked like she had just gone a few rounds against a bull and won. Her breathing was still harsh, but getting easier. She had a good number of scratches, bruises, and one very long gash that probably would have needed stitches if she were a normal human. As it was, they seemed to be healing, although Leah was clearly still in pain.

Leah tilted her head at the other girl. "I heard you scream." She stated flatly by way of explanation. "And I smelled him." She gestured to the outside, where Emily could see the fire and the unmoving form of what had probably once been the vampire who attacked her.

She couldn't understand. For all she ~~hoped~~ knew that Leah loved her, she knew how Leah felt for Sam and how his leaving her for Emily had crushed her. Leah could have left her to die. No one could have known she was anywhere nearby when the break-in occurred. No one would have blamed her. And with her cousin gone, Sam would be free of the imprint...free to be with her again. It was love...the same sort of love that Emily had given up Leah for. The love Leah clearly wanted back...so very badly. How could Leah give that up?

"Why...?" She only barely managed to choke out.

"Why did I save you?" Leah accurately guessed, sparing no kind words or subtlety. "Why did I bother to rescue you when you have done nothing but hurt me? When you chose your libido and a chance to one-up me over our relationship? When you added insult to injury by asking me to be a bridesmaid at your wedding when you were originally supposed to be a bridesmaid at mine? When you intentionally play me off as the big bad wolf making things hard on you to everyone so no one will call  you out on your BS? Why did I take the trouble to put myself in even more pain for your sake when I had every right to simply pretend I didn't hear a thing and let you die?"

Emily's breath hitched. Leah spoke not with the wild, fiery passion she so often did when lashing out at others. Her voice was sharp and cool, like ice, biting at her with expert precision and hitting at all the points that were sure to bring her the most pain. Leah knew just how to strip a person bare and lay out their innermost thoughts. And Emily shuddered, wishing that it weren't directed at her. She always knew Leah resented her for winning Sam's heart, but she never expected Leah to openly show such harshness towards her.

She had forgotten so much in the whirlwind her life had become. Of what she had not only allowed, but FORCED it to become. She had forgotten that she never did anything to truly win Sam's heart. Nor did Sam honestly do anything to earn her love, either. And what probably hurt most for Leah; more than simply losing a boy—a fiancée with whom she had plans for a happy future and family with—to her own cousin...

What hurt most for Leah was that the girl who she looked to as a sister, rather than stand by her, chose to satisfy her own whims and enter into a relationship with the boy who had broken her heart. Then Emily wrapped herself in the feelings of bliss and ignored the clear heartache of the girl she had helped step on, and yet had the audacity to pretend not to know why the other girl was always so angry...

It's no wonder. But she never wanted to acknowledge her part in this travesty or the wrong she had committed. She was happy. Leah wasn't. She had love. Leah didn't. She would never have to worry about losing Sam. Leah was forced to experience that first-hand. And everyone agreed that they were meant to be. So why couldn't Leah just get over herself and be happy for them?

Because it was more than just losing Sam. It was more than Emily having Sam. It was how two people she trusted...two people she loved most in the world...had chosen to hurt her so callously and with so little regard for her feelings, just to satisfy their own lust-based desires.

Emily never let herself think about it before now. She didn't want to be reminded of her choices. Better to let Leah be the bitter harpy. Use her as an example of what happens when you give up what you love. But Leah didn't give it up, Emily stole it from her. But Emily didn't like to think of it that way, because that would make Emily the bad guy. No, it was destiny for her and Sam to be together! Leah just wasn't his true love. Even if there was no imprinting, she and Sam would have been together.

Right?

She wasn't sure how much longer she could convince herself of that.

"I didn't do it out of the generousness of my heart." The wolf-girl spoke, making Emily wince. "I don't owe you anything. And I don't deserve to be hurt more than I have been already because of you. You aren't even worth the effort." Leah closed her eyes and moved to the door, turning her back on Emily easily—a little too easily, Emily thought with sadness.

"I made the choice to help you. Because while I may lash out, bitch at, and generally tick off others around me...when everything is said and done, I don't stab the people close to me in the back for my own selfish gain.”

Leah took a breath.

“I'm not you."

And without even taking another look at her, Leah left.

Sam had arrived only minutes later, and immediately pulled Emily into her arms. He rubbed her back, spoke softly, and stayed by her side. He acted the part of the perfect worried lover to a T, whispering sweet nothings and small words of comfort.

Emily didn't hear them. And even with his arms around her and his body next to hers, she never felt so cold.

**Author's Note:**

> Because something that really bothered me about the series (besides just about everything) is that the one thing that was needed for this situation but never allowed was for any sort of actual confrontation between these two.
> 
> We see Leah lash out at people. And we know what the pack thinks of her. But for how "mean" she's claimed to be, we never once see her lash out at Emily. She doesn't even lash out at Sam, not really, at least not until he sent Jared after her in Breaking Dawn and he certainly deserved that. But other than the aftermath of Emily asking Leah to be a bridesmaid, we don't see the two interact except for it to be known that Leah ended up agreeing.
> 
> What does that say when after what Emily did, Leah never actually did anything to her in response? And out of all the wolves, she's the one with the worst temper and the biggest reason to act on it and yet the only one to NOT to at any point attack anyone? I think it says a lot about her strength and self control. SAM was stated by the author herself to have attacked Emily intentionally in a rage because she told him to go to hell. Leah is clearly shown to have the biggest anger issues, but even she avoided doing that.
> 
> What does that really say?


End file.
